Air Monitoring and Forecasting in Connecticut

Monitoring

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), Bureau of Air Management, monitors air quality to protect public health and the environment.  The monitoring of air quality data is crucial to determine compliance with the Federal air quality standards and to evaluate how well pollution control and abatement strategies are working to clean the air.  The criteria pollutants measured in the ambient air monitoring network are: ozone (O₃), particulate matter (PM_2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), carbon monoxide (CO) and lead (Pb). The DEEP has also monitored for toxic pollutants and metals.

 

Forecasting

In addition, DEEP makes daily forecasts to help the public plan their day accordingly. The forecasts predict the ozone and particulate levels for cities and towns around the state that best capture the variances around our small state. Ozone forecasts are limited to the summer season, specifically May 1- September 30. This is because the formation of ozone is mostly likely to occur during this period, however DEEP will evaluate if an ozone forecast is necessary for public health reasons outside of this season. Links to historical ozone data and health effects can be found on our Air Quality and Health web page.

 

Talcott Mountain Webcam

The following webcam shows an image of the air quality over Hartford from Talcott Mountain.  Also, please visit www.hazecam.net for other Northeast visibility webcams.
Link to Clear Day Image

 

 

 

Content Last Updated January 11, 2021